The Innocence of Google

The decision by Google to restrict access to the hugely offensive anti-Islamic film “The Innocence of Muslims” in parts of the Middle East has proved almost as controversial as the film itself. Click here or on the map below to see our exclusive infographic mapping how the film has been taken offline across almost the entire Middle East. In some countries, such as Saudi Arabia, the film was clearly in breach of local laws and therefore the decision to ban it was semi-automatic. In Sudan and Iran the decision to block the film came as part of a wider attack on Youtube and Google. But in other countries — such as Egypt and Libya where demonstrations first broke out — the decision was made by Google after specific requests. The company said the “very difficult situation” in those countries had led to the decision to “temporarily” restrict access. The decisions have